Toyota Dominates FIA WEC Season Finale in Bahrain
Toyota has reclaimed its supremacy in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), clinching victory at the season-ending eight-hour race in Bahrain. The #7 GR010-Hybrid, driven by Mike Conway, Nyck de Vries, and Kamui Kobayashi, led the field, finishing 20.145 seconds ahead of its sister car, the #8 driven by Brendon Hartley, Sébastien Buemi, and Ryō Hirakawa.
Despite a late-race Safety Car, the #7 team maintained its lead, with de Vries benefiting from traffic management post-restart to secure the win. “Managing the backmarkers was crucial,” de Vries noted.
Ferrari’s #50 AF Corse 499P, piloted by Nicklas Nielsen, Antonio Fuoco, and Miguel Molina, completed the podium, with Nielsen benefited from a strategic team maneuver on the penultimate lap. This result allowed him to clinch third place in the drivers’ world standings.
The finishing positions solidified the championship landscape: fourth was enough for the #51 Ferrari crew, comprising Alessandro Pier Guidi, Antonio Giovinazzi, and James Calado, to seal the drivers’ championship. This marks Giovinazzi’s first FIA World Championship title, adding to Pier Guidi and Calado’s previous successes in the LMGTE Pro category.
Toyota’s performance in Bahrain elevated them to second in the manufacturers’ standings, while Ferrari captured its first prototype manufacturers’ championship in over five decades.
Further down, the #83 AF Corse Ferrari finished fifth, with drivers Phil Hanson, Robert Kubica, and Ye Yifei securing second in the drivers’ championship after dominating earlier in the season.
Cadillac’s #12 V-Series.R crossed the line in sixth, while the #009 Aston Martin THOR Team Valkyrie managed to complete the lead lap, briefly threatening Toyota’s dominance with a strong mid-race performance before penalties affected their race.
In a disappointing conclusion for Porsche Penske Motorsport, both 963 cars finished a lap down in 13th and 14th.
In the LMGT3 category, the Akkodis ASP Team’s #78 Lexus RC F LMGT3 triumphed, edging out competitors by less than a second. This victory was marked by a strategic pass for the lead by Petru Umbrărescu late in the race.
Mattia Drudi’s #27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage LMGT3 closely pursued, finishing third, while the #92 Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R secured fourth. The results crowned Ryan Hardwick and Riccardo Pera as Drivers’ Champions, alongside Manthey’s defense of its LMGT3 Teams’ title.
As the WEC season concludes, key developments point to a competitive outlook for the 2026 season.
More updates to follow.
